Secret Service probes possible sabotage of Trump escalator at UN as UN blames cameraman

WASHINGTON — The Secret Service has opened an inquiry into whether the escalator President Donald Trump rode into the United Nations headquarters was sabotaged, even as the U.N. attributed the stoppage to an inadvertent trigger by the president’s videographer. The incident unfolded Tuesday morning as Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrived at the U.N. campus in New York for the General Assembly. After a brief wave to photographers, Trump helped the first lady onto the escalator, which halted moments later. He looked toward bystanders and then they proceeded up the stairs on foot, drawing attention to the moment as security and staff scrambled to monitor the scene.

The United Nations said its preliminary review found the videographer — who can be seen boarding the escalator several seconds before the president and first lady — likely activated the escalator’s safety mechanism. The mechanism is designed to prevent people or objects from becoming entangled in the machinery. A readout of the machine’s central processing unit indicated the escalator stopped after the comb step’s built-in safety feature was triggered at the top. UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric described the event as an inadvertent triggering rather than a fault in the escalator itself. He added that the UN technician reset the escalator once the delegation had cleared the second floor. Observers noted the escalator functioned normally for the rest of the morning, including after the delegation proceeded upward.

The White House has not publicly endorsed the UN’s explanation. A White House spokesperson told the Daily Mail Wednesday morning that there would be no additional comment while the Secret Service investigates. On Tuesday night, Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, offered a different take on Fox News’s Jesse Watters Primetime, suggesting that some UN staffers had “joked” about turning off the escalators to trip up the president. Leavitt also pointed to Trump’s recent teleprompter difficulties, saying the president had been targeted by predictable, if unproven, snags. In separate remarks, Leavitt argued that if there were malfeasance by UN staffers, those responsible ought to face accountability; she did not, however, provide evidence that supported those claims beyond the reporting cited on air.

Despite the White House’s cautious tone, Dujarric’s briefing presented a portrait of a routine troubleshooting event rather than a deliberate act. He stressed that the videographer was likely responsible for triggering the safety stop and noted that the escalator had been reset promptly. The UN’s account, which referenced a forthcoming assessment of the incident, also highlighted the safety features designed to protect individuals from injury. The agency did not report any damage to the escalator beyond the temporary stoppage, and the machine was observed operating again later that morning.

The episode occurred as Trump used his UN General Assembly appearance to critique the organization. He decried the UN as “not there for us” and criticized its performance in addressing U.S. priorities. The president’s remarks came after the escalator and teleprompter issues became talking points, with some aides interpreting the moment as emblematic of broader frustrations with the body. Trump’s team seized on the moment to frame the day’s events as evidence of global institutions falling short, while he followed with a pointed critique of the UN’s value and effectiveness.

The incident raised questions about security protocols at high-profile visits, the handling of live footage by accompanying crews, and the balance between documenting moments and ensuring safety. The Secret Service, which traditionally oversees the safety of the president during foreign travel and major appearances, has indicated it is conducting a formal review. A spokesperson for the agency did not provide an updated timeline on the investigation or comment on whether the videographer’s actions were the direct focus of the inquiry.

The White House’s approach throughout this episode has been to emphasize the ongoing investigation while avoiding speculation about motive or intent. The administration has noted that security reviews are standard procedure after incidents involving presidential movements, especially in international settings where multiple agencies coordinate the logistics of arrivals and speeches. The UN’s response — attributing the stoppage to a possible inadvertent trigger by the videographer — has also drawn attention to how on-the-ground actions by press crews can intersect with security and device safety systems in crowded venues.

In the broader context, the UN escalator event sits with other moments of friction during Trump’s UN trip. The president’s speech, which touched on a range of foreign-policy themes and American policy priorities, was also marked by a critique of the organization’s role and leadership. The juxtaposition of a safety incident with a pointed policy address underscored the high-tension setting of an international forum that often tests the boundaries of diplomacy and domestic political messaging.

Officials and observers will be watching closely for the results of the Secret Service inquiry and any additional findings from the UN’s internal review. While the agency’s processes can be lengthy, the conclusion of this investigation could carry implications for how future high-profile visits are managed, particularly when live media crews are present in restricted or hazardous areas. For now, the information publicly available presents a picture of a routine safety feature at work, a videographer who may have unintentionally triggered it, and a White House that is cautious about characterizing the episode beyond the facts established by investigators and the UN’s own assessment.

As the day’s events unfolded, Trump pressed his case on the international stage, using the escalator mishap and the teleprompter issue to illustrate his critique of the United Nations. The episode, while largely resolved on the morning in which it occurred, remains a point of reference for how security, media access, and diplomatic optics intersect during high-stakes international appearances. The ongoing review will determine whether any formal accountability is warranted beyond routine procedural actions, but for the moment the incident has become a notable footnote in a larger narrative about the U.S. president’s relationship with multilateral institutions.